Lost and Found
by Selena Snow
Summary: After they arrive on Earth, Romelle finds herself lost on the Garrison grounds. Thankfully her alien wolf friend is there to assist, but where does Chaka take her? Straight to the one person she can't be around without blushing. A fluffy Romelle x Keith story post-season 6.
1. Chapter 1

Romelle found that she was in quite the strange situation.

Firstly, because she was on a new planet filled with people constantly staring at her. Secondly, because she had received a change of clothes, and she simply wasn't sure if she liked these bright orange, scratchy uniforms.

She pulled at the collar once more, wondering how these earthlings could stand such a useless embellishment in the heat of their planet. Though, to be fair, she had been told that not all places were like the Garrison. Earth was strange that way— she'd been shown pictures of freezing and warm climates alike, and she had no idea how they coexisted.

Given her level of experience with space travel, however, her lack of knowledge about other planets wasn't surprising.

Romelle gazed out at the dry flat ground that surrounded the Garrison. She had been wandering around for several dobashes now— not for any reason, other than, well, she was lost.

The paladins had been incredibly busy since they arrived, and besides one of them showing her to her temporary quarters, she had been left primarily to rest peacefully. But resting was boring after a few days, and her adventurous side was desperate to explore this new world.

But alas, she had started her mission fearless and now felt rather anxious.

Romelle fiddled with her hair as she searched for something familiar, but everything looked the same. Dusty, cracked ground and dull grey buildings. She wondered why they seemed so desperate to avoid a more colorful appearance, then tossed the thought aside. Romelle needed to find her way back to her room before she got even more stranded than she already was.

"Okay, just take in a deep breath," she whispered to herself. "You'll be fine. You'll run into one of the paladins eventually, and they'll take you back."

If there was one thing Romelle hated about herself, it was her shyness. Don't get her wrong— she could be quite rambunctious with her family and friends. But when it came to strangers, she couldn't find the courage to even say hello.

Ever worse, her shy nature seemed to take complete control when she was surrounded by those not of her own kind. It was uncomfortable being the odd one out, the one humans whispered about, the one that they pointed at. Romelle didn't know how to respond, because yes, she was the alien in this situation, and their reactions weren't entirely unreasonable.

Romelle sighed long sufferingly. If only she'd stayed in her room, she wouldn't be in this situation. She would be safe, by herself, completely fine, if not a bit bored, and—

Wait, what was that noise?

Her pointed ears perked up slightly. There was a creature coming toward her, its paws quiet on the flat earth. Romelle whipped around to see it, and her pink eyes brightened.

"Chaka!" she greeted. The blue alien wolf came forward, and she patted his head affectionately. "What are you doing out here?"

Chaka replied by purring and nuzzling his nose into her hand. Romelle laughed. "Wanting attention as always, I see."

The creature's ears turned up, and then, it pointed its head toward the grey buildings. She gave Chaka a questioning look, but all he did was repeat the gesture.

"You want me to follow?" she asked. A confirming yip was her response. Delighted, Romelle waved her hand forward. "Lead on, then!"

Chaka bounced happily onto his back paws before he began to guide her. Romelle held in a relieved sigh as she followed. Not only was she grateful for a companion with better tracking skills than her own, she was glad it was an alien one. It was nice to not be the only strange being walking around.

Within minutes, Romelle began to recognize her surroundings. She was sure that they had originally landed somewhere near here— ah yes, and there's the door they entered through. Back within the boring grey buildings once more, Romelle started to feel at ease again. Chaka must have sensed it, because he looked back and gave her a toothy grin.

He stopped in front of a door in a nondescript hallway, and Romelle smiled. "Thank you, Chaka!" she sang lightly. She reached for the handle on what she assumed to be her quarters, but then, the door opened.

When purple eyes met pink, Romelle immediately began to stammer. "O-Oh my, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Keith held up a hand. "It's fine, really. Do you need something?"

Romelle blushed. She had forgotten one of her main reasons she had stayed in her room so long— to avoid her rescuer. It wasn't that she disliked him…it was actually quite the opposite. He was simply too handsome and too kind that every time she spoke to him, she became a stuttering mess.

Such as right now. "No! N-No, I was— Chaka, he, well, I was lost, and um…he found me, and I thought this was my room but," she wilted at her own lack of decorum. "—it apparently was not."

Keith gave a little smile. "I got lost here my first few weeks, as well," he said. "What were you trying to find?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing really," she replied hastily. "I simply don't like being stuck in a room." Wait, did that sound ungrateful? Perhaps it did, maybe she should reword her sentence—

"I know the feeling," he sighed. "I should've thought of that sooner, I'm sorry. We've—" he stopped to chuckle, "—we've all had a lot going on lately, to say the least."

A giggle slipped out of Romelle's lips. "That would be quite the understatement," she agreed.

Keith's grin grew in size at her comment. "Unfortunately, I have another meeting to run to, but is there anything you need right now while you have me?"

"M-Me? Anything I need?" she repeated. He nodded, and her blush deepened. "Oh, ah, well, I can't think of much other than these clothes," she admitted shyly. "They are quite different, and," she frowned, "I can't think of how to say it. They are…prickly?"

His eyes seemed to recognize what she was saying. "Alteans have enhanced sensory input, don't they?"

Romelle nodded quickly. "Yes, that's it! And I do not wish to sound ungrateful, because I truly am, but…" she trailed off. "That is all that I can think of needing," she finished decidedly.

"Shouldn't be a problem," he reassured her. "In fact, I'm running some errands tonight on my hover bike— do you want to come?" he offered. "I'm sure we can find something you're more comfortable in at the mall."

The young Altean blinked. Regardless of the fact that she had no idea what a "mall" was, she certainly wanted to say yes. But what if she couldn't speak around him? Would it be only him and her? Could she compose herself long enough for such an activity?

"Romelle?"

The sound of her name brought her out of the daze she'd fallen into. "Yes?"

Keith's eyes were concerned. "Would that be okay with you? If it's too overwhelming, I understand—"

"No, no! It sounds wonderful!" she interrupted. "I, ah…" Slowly, Romelle leaned up to press her lips against his cheek. On her home world, it was the highest show of thankfulness, and she felt more than compelled to do so, given his kindness. "I am humbled to accept your offer, and I look forward to our journey tonight."

Keith blinked at her, swallowed, then nodded. "Of course, I will, ah…" his eyes glanced away. "I'll, um, I'll send Chaka to get you."

Romelle tilted her head at his strange behavior. He almost sounded like her, but surely that wasn't the case. The Black Paladin was a fearless leader, not a sheltered Altean who longed to explore the universe. He had no reason to flush bright red and stammer.

But she brushed the thought aside and smiled. "Thank you!" she said, then turned to Chaka. "Now come on, boy, take me to the right place this time."

When she started down the hallway on her new quest, she missed the stunned look on Keith's face as he gently placed a hand on where her lips had been.


	2. Chapter 2

**This always happens: I write a one shot, and it's like my brain just can't stop there! Not sure how much more I'll continue this, but I certainly want to keep going for a little bit longer.**

* * *

She was...confusing.

Okay, maybe confusing wasn't the right word, but certainly perplexing. Keith remembered when he first met Romelle— skittish was the word he'd use for her. Frightened, tense, and ready to run at a moment's notice.

But then they'd explained why they were there, and he'd watch her change before his very eyes— bold, uncompromising, filled with a righteous fury to avenge her people.

She stayed that way for a while, and honestly, he would chuckle to himself when he saw that fiery spark in her eye. He remembered when he used to be like that, always angry and stubborn and wanting to jump the gun. Not that her wrath was unwarranted; she had the right to be as mad as she wanted for as long as she wanted given what Lotor did.

Then they came back to Earth, and she surprised him yet again. The last time he had seen her, she was still angry. But when she was standing in front of him at his door, it was like talking to an entirely different person.

She was awkward, a little clumsy in her speech. Her eyes were bright, filled with an innocent curiosity. Her smile was warm, and her voice carried that same feeling of kindness and acceptance.

And then she kissed him on the cheek, and Keith really didn't know what to think.

He tried to brush it off at first (after he'd been in a daze for a solid minute and then arrived at the meeting late, of course). Then he sent Chaka to go get Romelle and bring her to his bike, however, and now he felt like pacing.

She had just done it so...casually? No, that wasn't the word he was looking for. It had been a genuine action, not one of those spur of the moment things he'd seen back at the Garrison. Maybe that was the other thing, too: he'd never received this kind of attention before. He'd always been too stuck in his own pain to ever even think of opening his heart to the possibility of, well, whatever this could be.

Perhaps that's why it caught him so off guard. He felt like an idiot now— she'd had to have noticed how he stuttered and blushed, right?

Keith took in a calming breath. Patience yields focus. Be patient. Go through your thoughts slowly. Don't rush. Don't think. Just feel.

He had those two years with his mother to thank for those thoughts. Feeling, while it had always come naturally to him as it did for all humans, was never a positive experience before. He was always angry, always hurt, always wondering what happened or where he went wrong.

Now that all the mysteries of his life were solved, he felt calm, more sure. He could handle feeling again, and if Romelle made him feel warm inside and jittery with excitement, then he'd welcome that.

He could see her approaching on the horizon now, Chaka at her side. A little jolt of nervous energy ran through Keith, and he double checked that he'd brought an extra helmet for her.

She was smiling brightly when she arrived. "Hello, Keith! Are you ready for our journey?"

Her question immediately made him crack a grin. "It's not as much of a journey as you may think," he said. "It'll take us maybe twenty five dobashes to get there."

Romelle's pink eyes widened. "Oh, that isn't far at all!"

Unsure of what to say, Keith just nodded in agreement and reached for her helmet. "This is for you," he stated as he handed it over.

He expected her to be confused by it (just as Coran and Allura had been confused by many different Earth things), but Romelle simply put the helmet on and nodded firmly.

Keith blinked. "A-Alright, ah, you can just— behind me is your seat."

A smile overcame her serious expression. "Okay!" The next moment, she was up on the bike behind him. "What do I hold onto?"

"I, um— me." Keith was so glad she couldn't see how red his face was right now. 'Patience yields focus,' he reminded himself internally.

Romelle's arms wrapped around his waist snuggly, and he wondered why he felt tingly all over. Thankfully, he was able to focus his entire attention on driving—

"Keith?"

His head turned. "Yeah?"

She smiled. "Thank you for your kind offer. It means more than I can say."

His heart beating out of control, all he could do was say a lame, "Oh, you're welcome."

He turned back to the front and squeezed his eyes shut. Patience yields focus. Concentrate on driving. Don't think about it.

Keith opened his eyes, stared down the flat Arizona plains, and gunned it.

Romelle let out a squeak, and he couldn't help but laugh. If someone asked him later, Keith would've had to admit that the ride was actually really nice. Every now and then, he would hear Romelle gasp in awe at a new sight they were passing, and it was fascinating to hear someone react to his home planet with such wonder. Plus…every time he sped up, she had a habit of tightening her grip on him. He may or may not have pushed the throttle a little bit just because.

When they finally arrived at the mall, Keith heard Romelle let out her biggest gasp yet. "Oh Oriande, look at it! I've never seen anything like it!"

He quirked an eyebrow as he helped her down from the bike. "You didn't have places like this back home?"

She shook her head. "Mostly just open air markets…I get the feeling that free trade was not something Lotor wanted any part of. Too much information that could slip through." Her voice was tinted with a sort of faded anger, almost like she knew at one point she'd have to get over it, but that was not going to be anytime soon.

Suddenly, Keith realized that he hadn't let go of her hand when he offered assistance down from the bike, and he was quick to draw away. She seemed to have noticed it, too, because a blush ran across her face.

"L-Let's get going," Keith stammered. "I thought we could handle your stuff first?" Quiznak, why had his voice gone all high and squeaky.

Romelle's eyes brightened, and she nodded meekly. Keith swallowed and turned away, gesturing vaguely for her to follow him. He really hoped he'd be able to keep his cool during this trip— he felt like he was already forgetting what he'd actually come here for.

He lead her over to where he knew the majority of the clothing shops were and picked one at random. "So…" he trailed off awkwardly. He really was in over his head, wasn't he? "What were you thinking of wearing?"

She was already scanning the racks of clothes thoughtfully. "Hm…I am not sure," she said. "I need to touch something to see if it is suitable."

Keith nodded understandingly. "Well, uh—"

"Can I help you?"

The pair turned around to see a sales assistant smiling at them, and Keith let out a relieved sigh. "Yes, we could use the help," he told her. "My, um, friend here is, well, it's a little difficult to explain—"

Romelle stepped forward. "I am from an Altean colony in the Beta quadrant," she introduced shyly. "My people are very sensitive to materials, and I need something that will not bother me during my time here on Earth."

The sales assistant blinked, her eyes shifting to the elven ears and facial markings that should have marked Romelle clear as day as alien. "Oh! You're with those paladin people!"

"That's us," Keith chuckled. "Do you think you can help her? I have no idea where to start."

The sales assistant's head bobbed up and down. "Of course! Come with me, Miss…?"

"Romelle," the young Altean supplied.

"That's a pretty name!"

"Why thank you! My mother always liked it, and I—"

The two wandered off further into the store chatting away, and Keith took in a deep breath. He'd gotten lucky with that one— he'd really had no idea what to do. Maybe it would've been a smart idea to bring Pidge along, but she'd been busy anyways.

'And besides,' he mused as he watched Romelle rifle through a rack of dresses with an excited smile on her face, 'this is way better.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Shout out to Ultimate-Hunter-Guyver for inspiring me to keep going with this fic!**

* * *

He had looked so surprised when she stepped out from behind the curtain. Romelle had spun around happily— she liked the way this Earth garment twirled just below her knees. It felt lightweight and smooth, and the purple color especially made her favor it.

"You look great!" Eliza, the incredibly kind merchant, had told her.

Romelle smiled, then looked over at Keith. "What do you think?" she asked. It was only right for her to request his opinion— he had brought her there, after all.

He blinked. "Y-Yeah, it looks great, um, but I think we need to make sure that, you, ah, you know, that you get something other than a dress, too, because the weather, is, uh—"

Eliza waved a hand to hush him. "Don't worry, this is only the first outfit!"

Keith had nodded, his eyes drifting back to Romelle.

She sighed contentedly, running the memory through her head for the millionth time. His eyes looked like the galaxies were contained within them, and when they had been on her in that moment, a warm feeling had spread throughout her entire being.

Romelle stared up at the ceiling above her bed. Keith was just so…dreamy and kind and handsome, and she wanted to relive the previous night over and over again.

She would have to wait, though— she had been asked to attend a meeting, and it was within a few dobashes.

The young Altean got up from her bed and made her way toward the door, pausing in front of a mirror before she left. She had to admit, she appreciated the Earth clothes Eliza had picked for her. The "jeans" in particular were surprisingly comfortable, as was the pink top.

Apparently Romelle had a natural gravitation toward garments that were "knit," and though she was not entirely sure what this "knit" was, she knew that it was a thousand times better than the Garrison uniform.

Approving of her appearance, Romelle headed out and made her way to where the meeting was supposed to be.

"The first left, second right, and then the fourth door on the left," Keith had said. She fought back a giggle when she heard his smooth voice in her head. Romelle followed the instructions perfectly, yet when she arrived at the door, she still hesitated.

"It's unlocked," a familiar voice chuckled.

Romelle yelped and spun around. The leader of the Voltron team— Shiro, if she recalled correctly— was standing behind her looking amused.

"Romelle, right?" he asked, holding out a hand. "Keith told me about you. How are you fitting in?"

"F-Fine," she stuttered. Romelle stared at his outstretched hand in confusion. "I'm sorry, I am not familiar with Earth greetings."

Shiro blinked. "Oh! My bad. Here, you just—" he put his hand in hers, then moved it up and down. "It's called shaking hands. It's a bit formal, but it's usually a good greeting when you first meet someone."

The Altean nodded slowly. "I…I believe we met before, though?" That was an understatement— he had thrown a punch that knocked her out the last time they'd met.

He grimaced. "My, uh, my memories are still a bit fuzzy," he admitted.

"Oh," Romelle replied. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, and she weighed what she wanted to say carefully. "Shiro, I do not blame you for what happened before," she stated decidedly. "You were lost and confused, and since the others have forgiven you, I shall, as well."

Shiro's eyes widened. "W-Wait, what did I do?"

She merely turned her head. The mark his metal fist had left was clear as day just below her left eye. She heard him gasp, but before he could say anything, she stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"You are freed from all weights of guilt," she recited with closed eyes. "You will no longer carry this pain. You are forgiven."

"…Romelle?"

Shiro and Romelle turned to see Keith staring at them with a befuddled expression.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Romelle smiled as her hands dropped back to her side. "It is an Altean forgiveness ritual. Shiro is now freed from his guilt, and our relationship is restored."

A small smile came onto Keith's face. "Thank you, Romelle," he said softly. "I'm sure it'll help Shiro a lot in his recovery."

She brightened and turned to look at Shiro to see if this was true. Indeed it was— he seemed less burdened than he had a dobash ago, lighter and happier.

"Thank you, Romelle, from the bottom of my heart," Shiro nodded. "I am truly grateful for your words."

The young Altean smiled and turned her face expectantly. She waited for a moment, then realized that he had not yet come forward to thank her properly. Turning back, she noticed that both men were staring at her with raised eyebrows.

"Oh! M-My apologies," she stammered. "I— your words— I believed that you were going to express your thanksgiving."

Shiro tilted his head. "What is the proper Altean way? We usually just use our words on Earth."

"It is called the _natir_ ," she told him, "the kiss of thanksgiving. It is quite common to all Alteans, and is placed on the right cheek. I gave Keith the _natir_ yesterday to express my gratitude for his offer to bring me to find new clothes to wear."

Romelle noticed several things at once. Shiro's eyes seemed to light up in understanding, and Keith's seemed to do the same thing, but…it was different somehow. Keith now seemed…darker than he had before. His eyebrows were scrunched together in thought, and a frown had taken over his lips.

"In that case," Shiro said humbly, leaning down to perform the _natir_. "Thank you for the ritual, Romelle. It made me feel much better."

She nodded her head solemnly. "You are most welcome, Shiro. Should your guilt come back, I would be more than willing to bestow it upon you again."

The leader's eyes flickered to Keith (who had fallen strangely silent), and he gave a little grin. "I have the feeling it won't be necessary."

"Excellent! Shall we go then?" she questioned.

Keith awoke out of his daze. "Y-Yes, let's go."

He opened the door and held his hand forward to indicate for them to walk in. Shiro entered first, and then Romelle, but she stopped short of the barrier to halt in front of Keith.

"How are you today?" she asked curiously.

His starry eyes met hers, but they were filled with barely masked confusion. "Good," he replied vaguely.

A frown came onto her face. "You're lying."

Keith startled. "I-I— how could you tell?"

"Alteans are perceptive," she said simply.

"I see," he swallowed. His eyes flashed between the meeting room and the hall, and he stepped back to shut the door.

The two stood in the hall in silence, and Romelle waited patiently for him to begin.

Keith stared at the ground. "I…apparently, I misunderstood your kiss yesterday."

Romelle looked at him expectantly, knowing he would continue.

"In, um, our culture, a kiss like that can indicate…ugh, this is so awkward," he groaned, covering his face with his hands. "It can be interpreted as romantic interest."

Slowly but surely, a bright red hue began to spread over Romelle's face. "Oh," she gulped.

"Yeah…" Keith trailed off. "So, um, I'm sorry for not knowing what it meant, and for misinterpreting it."

Romelle's eyes darted to the floor. "No, it is I who should apologize, for I did not think to explain my culture properly."

He laughed awkwardly, "Guess we both got things a little mixed up."

The Altean looked up and took in his expression. He seemed upset, still, as though their reconciliation over the confusion had not fixed the problem. A thought suddenly occurred to Romelle, but…no, it couldn't be…could it?

She swallowed hard, then took a step forward and peered up into his eyes. "Did you… _want_ to interpret it as romantic?"

Keith's eyes widened. "I-I, I didn't— I wasn't sure if— well, I, um…yes?"

Romelle took this information in slowly, though her heart was beating wildly. After a moment, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his left cheek. When she stepped away, he was staring at her in a daze.

"The right cheek is for thankfulness," she explained softly. "And…the left for longing of the heart."

Keith seemed frozen in time, and unable to summon any more courage to continue to stand in his presence any more, Romelle passed through the door to the meeting room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Another update? Geez, I need to slow down. I'm going ahead and positing this because I'll be busy for the next week, but rest assured, I have plans to continue this story!**

* * *

It was official: she was going to drive him crazy.

Her face ran through Keith's mind every second, constantly interrupting his focus on any task. Which could be frustrating at times, because he knew that now was not the time to be distracted. He told himself that right at this very second— he was currently helping train Lance with his new sword, but Keith knew that his parries were getting sloppy.

Romelle, Romelle, Romelle. A mystery wrapped inside an alien enigma. A puzzle that he would think he had solved one minute, then realize that he'd gotten it completely wrong the next.

A strike to his side broke the black paladin out of his trance, and Keith raised an eyebrow. "Huh, nice one, Lance."

"Don't act so surprised," Lance gloated, then huffed, "I know you were going easy on me, anyways."

Keith shook his head. "Sorry, my thoughts are all over the place today," he admitted. "You're doing well, though— keep at it."

Lance smiled. "Thanks, Keith. Anything you need to get off your chest?" he offered. "I'm a pretty good listener, if I do say so myself."

After shifting his bayard back to normal, Keith chuckled, "I think I'm good, unless you happen to have a textbook on Altean culture."

To his surprise, the red paladin snapped his fingers. "Actually, I do! Well, Coran does, but he gave me a copy— it's translated and everything. Want me to go get it?"

"Yeah, that'd…actually be great," Keith replied, blinking. "Thank you, Lance."

"Not a problem!" Lance said with a wave of his hand. "What do you need it for?"

Keith felt a blush rising. "I, ah, I just thought it'd be a good idea to understand their culture more, you know? Romelle, um, well, I learned a few things from her already on accident, and I realized how much I don't know."

Lance nodded. "I had the same thing when I first started to get to know Allura— did you know they have a ritual before they go to bed? Thing's like an hour long, and they have to go through this list of blessings. I heard her and Coran talking about it one time, because some of the blessings had to be left out since they were the only ones left."

"Huh," Keith mused, "I had no idea."

"Yeah, it's all pretty cool once you figure it out," Lance shrugged. "Anyways, I'll go get that book for you— be right back!" he called as he left the training space.

Blissful silence overcame the room, and Keith took a moment to think about all the questions he had. He wanted to know more about the kiss on the left cheek— what she meant by "longing of the heart." He wanted to know what the Altean ways of showing affection were, and if there were any that he was familiar with. He wanted to know how to show his ever growing interest, but be respectful, because he didn't want to cross any unknown lines.

Keith slid down against the wall and sighed. He really had no idea what to think of all the emotions stirring in his heart. The mere thought of Romelle made his body fill with warmth, and yet he didn't even know her that well. Even so…he couldn't deny the strange tug that seemed to pull him toward her at all times.

He wondered if she felt it, too. He wondered if it had something to do with quintessence. He wondered a lot of things, but had answers for none of it.

Thankfully, Lance returned swiftly as promised, and Keith thanked him before he took the book and headed to his quarters. For the next several hours, he scoured over its contents, trying to absorb every bit of knowledge he could.

When his eyes finally came to the courting section, his heart skipped a beat.

The rules of traditional Altean courtship are to be honored at all times, particularly in upper class families. Should one disobey a rule and fall out of favor, it is up to the offended party to decide whether the courtship continues or not.

 _1\. Acquaintanceship. During this time, one party shall express their interest in another by initiating a period of getting to know one another. This period of time can last up to forty-eight quintents, and if at the end of the acquaintanceship the parties decide to forgo further courtship, they may do so without dishonor._

 _2\. Proof of Value. The male party must give proof of their value, whether it be through ritual combat, show of wealth, or display of desirable character traits. This period of time can last up to sixty-two quintents, and if at the end of the acquaintanceship the parties decide to forgo further courtship, reasonable statements must be given as for why before the court._

 _3\. Appreciation. Each courted must pronounce to the other what traits they admire (this is often done in private for lower class, public for higher class). If possible, this must immediately follow Proof of Value. Departing from courtship is no longer allowed without a suspension from such activities for a minimum of eighty quintents._

 _4\. Permission of Touch. The female party must give their consent to the male party through nonverbal actions. Only then may the courtship begin to proceed into intimacy. Departing from courtship is no longer allowed without a suspension from such activities for a minimum of eighty quintents and a statement of farewells._

 _5\. Gifting. Each party shall give a gift of significance to the other. This must signify sacrificial giving, and also must contain a lock of hair from each party—_

Keith felt a headache coming on. And here he'd hoped it'd be something easy like bringing a flower or reciting a declaration of interest. But no, he realized as he scanned the page, apparently there were at least twenty steps of courtship, each with an ever increasing punishment should something go wrong.

But, if this was the way it had to be, then he would do it. And if they realized it wouldn't work out after the first step, then they could walk away without any repercussions.

Firm in his decision, Keith all but marched out of his room and set off in the direction of Romelle's door. When he arrived, he practically banged his hand on the door, and then the second after, he felt panic start to rise in him.

No, no, no, this was a terrible idea— what was he thinking? He couldn't just go up to her and start some courtship he'd only just read about! Plus, he was the leader of the team! He couldn't afford distractions, and what if she got pulled into it? What if she got hurt? What if things didn't work out, and she didn't speak to him again?

Keith's eyes widened, and he turned to dash off, but the door had already begun to open.

"Keith!" Romelle greeted brightly. "It is lovely to see you. Is there something you need?"

"I-I, uh," he stammered. "You— we— I—"

She cast him a confused look, but a moment later, her eyes had flickered down. "Oh! Is that an Altean etiquette book?" she asked, taking it out of his hands without a second thought. Keith hadn't even realized he was still carrying it.

"Yes, it is," he managed to get out. "I was reading it to, um…well, Romelle, I wanted to…ah…"

She peered up at him. "Yes?"

"Page two hundred and seventy-three," Keith blurted out.

Romelle blinked, but turned to the page he stated. He felt himself going red as she looked it over.

"Oh, traditional courtship rules!" she gasped. "They truly are fascinating, don't you think?"

He couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Romelle, I— well, I was wondering if," he swallowed nervously. Why did his under armor suddenly feel tight around his neck? "I was wondering if you'd wanna begin the process of Acquaintanceship with me."

Her head snapped up from the book. "I'm sorry?"

"T-The Acquaintanceship," he stuttered. "It's the, the first step in— in the courtship rules, and I, well, I would like to get to know you better, and I thought it'd be good to go about it the right way—"

Keith stopped his rambling when he realized he heard stifled laughter. He looked up from where he'd been staring at the ground to see Romelle with a hand over her mouth.

"We haven't used those rules in decapheebs," she giggled. "The class system was done away with on the colony, and most of these rules with it."

If his face wasn't red before, it certainly was now. "Oh," he said lamely.

She was smiling at him with amused eyes. "In the colony, it was best to state your intentions clearly. The old ways were quite vague and confusing at times. So…Keith, what are your intentions?"

His mind screeched to a stop. "My intentions?" he repeated, and she nodded. "W-Well, they are just like I said, I guess. I want to get to know you better."

A sudden wave of shyness seemed to come over her. "For what purpose?" she questioned.

Keith felt his mouth go dry. "T-To pursue a romantic relationship with you," he replied softly. "I can't explain why other than I want to, and…I feel…drawn to you."

Romelle flushed, but responded, "Then that is my intention, as well."

Keith smiled, relieved, but then a thought occurred to him. Slowly, so as to not startle her, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her left cheek. His heart was pounding when he pulled away, and by the look on her face, she felt just the same.


End file.
